JANUARY 12, 1998

Muller confirmed as Sauber tester

THE Sauber Petronas team has announced that it has reached agreement for German Jorg Muller to be its test driver for the coming season. Muller won the 1996 Formula 3000 Championship and spent last season as a test driver with Arrows. Tom Walkinshaw had an option with the 28-year-old German to continue this season but chose not to continue the relationship and so in December Muller tested for Sauber at Barcelona.

Jorg replaces Argentina's Norberto Fontana, who has been Sauber's test driver since the start of 1995. Fontana did not impress the team last year when he stood in for the injured Gianni Morbidelli. Fontana is understood to be talking to Tyrrell about a possible drive for 1998 although there seems to be only a slim chance of a deal as Jos Verstappen remains the favorite to retain his seat in the coming year.